


Two princes and a Genie

by JotunVali



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Eddie's a street rat, Flash is a princess, Flash is popular and he hates it, Inspired by Aladdin (1992), M/M, Melancholy, everyone is a prince or princess, except Eddie, guess who's the Genie, like in the comics actually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-11-26 14:42:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18181946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JotunVali/pseuds/JotunVali
Summary: Prince Flash of Philae is lonely. His parents always welcome potential suitors to marry him but marriage is not what the prince wants. He wants legs, he wants to fly away, he wants to see the world in another way than from his window. Eddie is not a prince. He steals and sometimes kills in order to eat. One day, he finds a so-called magical lamp. His life is about to change radically.





	1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time was a prince. A legless prince. A lonely prince. That prince lived locked up in a prison. A big, vast, full of gold, silk, marble and gemstones but still a prison. It was the palace of his father, the king of Philae. Small but fabulously rich and populated country. Flash (that was the nickname his cruel father gave him, for what’s more laughable than a legless, stuck in a wheelchair all day man called Flash?) wished he could go out of his double prison, palace and chair, to meet that population, see how his own country worked, lived, loved… He was a prince. And disabled. Who could possibly, truly love a disabled prince with no disgust towards his absence of legs or no interest towards his wealth and power? 

That didn’t matter. His father already invited on a regular basis the princes and princesses from neighboring countries to meet his son in order to get him hitched. Yet his father had so little care for Flash’s well-being he never received the suitors. Like he just wanted to get rid of that dead weight of a son the earliest. Flash’s mother welcomed the suitors. She acted colder than her husband towards her son but  _ she  _ wanted to be sure Flash would marry the best person. The suitors always had to meet her before meeting Flash. Her first question was: “Would you take care of a discapacitated man?” Then, no matter the wealth or status or fake large grin or irritating useless courtesies, if they answered “no”, she would dismiss them unceremoniously. 

Until now, only three princesses and one prince had answered “yes” to her. Sha Shan from Dai Viet, Felicia from Catseye, Elizabeth from Alchemax and Peter from Queens.

Flash expected nothing but rejection from all of them so he never tried to make them stay. He didn’t tell them to go back home either. He just stayed there, politely chatting with the princess or prince, hoping she or he would leave the soonest so he can go back staring outside the windows, dreaming of how his life would have looked like if he wasn’t born a prince or if he had legs. It made him a bit sad but it was his only occupation. Sometimes, a couple of birds would land at the windows’s rim. He liked to hear them sing. So much more beautiful, relaxing and melodious than his parents scolding the servants or the creaking of his wheels. Also these birds could fly. Flash wished he could fly too. The absence of legs wouldn’t be an issue anymore. He could fly away from all these uptight, reserved for princes rules, from his wise but so cold and severe mother, from his stupid father, from these annoyingly obedient servants who saw him a sacred divinity or shit like that and so never dared to just talk to him… It only made Flash feel more lonely. With wings, he could at last meet the population, talk with people who’d have no idea he’s a prince...

“Hey, did you hear me, your Highness?” Princess Elizabeth pulled him out of his internal rant.

“Yes? No, sorry, I was… dozing off. What did you say, princess?” He asked with an embarrassed smile.

“Ugh! And I thought your discapacity only involved your legs, or rather no-legs…” Elizabeth grumbled, putting a full of shiny rings hand over her forehead. “I was asking you how much wealth are you sitting on? Metaphorically speaking of course.” She smirked.

Great. Another one only interested by his money. Well, his father’s money. And extremely obnoxious on top of that. 

“I wish I knew, princess. I’m afraid you’ll have to ask the king for that matter. What about you?”

“What, me?”

“How much wealth do  **_you_ ** hoard? Have you enough to take care of my no-legs?”

“Huh! A begging prince? Disgusting! More disgusting than your phantom legs! Who do you think you are? I’m here because I’m searching for a wealthy prince! Not for a rude cripple who dare to take a princess for his nanny! My propose should be enough for a low creature like you and yet you want more? Well, forget it, your Highness! You’ll have nothing at all!” She growled before she swiftly turned her back on him and stomped away, without even giving him the formal curtsy.

Good riddance. Beautiful maybe, but heartless and greedy just like his father. Flash would rather die than marry such a princess. 


	2. Chapter 2

In the afternoon, it was princess Felicia’s turn to meet him. When he saw her, Flash had a good feeling. She displayed a bright smile and she looked so ravishing with her silver white long hair. Also she didn’t seem to mind his absence of legs. She sat in a flax padded chair and started to chat with him as she’d do with a “normal” prince.

“Do you often go out, your Highness?” She asked.

“I’m afraid my… condition keeps me from going outside, princess.” Flash sighed.

“You could ask a servant to help.” Princess Felicia noted.

“It’s quite a hard job to ask servants who won’t talk back to you. Either way, the queen forbade them as she did me to do such a perilous thing. She says she doesn’t want me more ‘damaged’ and so unfit for marriage. If I’m not already so, of course.” 

“Don’t say that.” Felicia replied in a compassionate voice. “I’m sure you have a lot of suitors.” She smiled. “I heard we were four to answer ‘yes’ to the queen today!”

“Three. Princess Elizabeth… withdrew.”

“Oh? Well three is still a lot!” She tried to lift up his spirits. “Maybe she just wasn’t the right one for you.”

“Would the right one be you, princess?” The prince at last looked at her, with a shadow of a smile on his face and a twinkle in his blue eyes.

“Who knows? We’ve just met a few minutes ago. Maybe we should get to know each other better first.” Felicia suddenly looked away and sounded less confident.

Was she actually in love with him? Was she really the one for Flash? And he’s been talking of himself until now! What a dork!

“Yes, we should.” He replied with much more assert in his voice. “You, princess, do you… go out often?” He copied her question for he didn’t have a clue about what asking her.

She noticed the prince looked brighter after their little chat.

“Well, yes. I... often go out.” She simply answered. Though she didn’t merely stroll around her grounds from time to time. She actually loved to sneak out at night, defeating all the locks of her parents’ palace, to steal from rich people, sometimes to give to the poor and sometimes to keep for herself, and to have some secret love affairs with men who did the same as her. A while ago she had met one, and madly fell in love with him. He admitted he loved her too but wasn’t ready to be in a relationship, that he wasn’t sure...etc. Felicia had then taken the opportunity to marry another man just to make him jealous. And marrying a prince would definitely make that indecisive idiot come out of his hideout. But now she had met the said prince… She wanted to give up that stupid project. That prince was nice and cute. He didn’t deserve to be treated as a damn decoy to get her man! That prince needed someone who truly loves him! Felicia was not that someone. And she’d have tigers scratching her to death for having planned to marry that innocent guy who wasn’t responsible for her love life travails just to make her man jealous! She had no business here! But how to wipe off such a sincere smile? Addressed to her, the liar? Well, she couldn’t lie anymore.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry…”

Flash noticed her tone had suddenly changed. She sounded… disappointed. Here we go again. Flash had hoped in vain again. No one, not even that kind-hearted girl could love him for what he is.

“Actually I… I shouldn’t have… applied. I’ve…” She bit her lip, as if scared of her upcoming words. “I’ve already have… someone.” She admitted.

“What?” 

What did that mean? What was she doing here then?

“If I’m here it’s because of… my parents’ wish to see me married of course but… mainly because… I had hoped if… if I courted another man, mine could… ugh! I’m a horrid princess!”

“What? No, you’re not! You must be the kindest person I’ve ever met!” Flash claimed.

“How is it kind to use an innocent man just to make mine jealous?” Felicia cried out.

Flash turned mute. It was like a sandcastle of hopes crumbling down inside.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t… we shouldn’t have met. That was a terrible idea.” She apologized before she stood up, cupped one of the disillusioned prince’s cheek and kissed the other one. “I hope you’ll find the right person.”

“To be fair, princess… I don’t search for any right person. I just hope… one of my suitors will marry me so I can... finally go outside… and be free. At least freer than now. See? I was seeing you as… useful too. So don’t be sorry, princess.” He bowed his head. “And I hope your man will accept you.”

Felicia hugged the prince against her breasts before she faded away. Flash didn’t notice she was fighting an urge to cry.


	3. Chapter 3

It was all as for the marriage applications today. Just as Flash expected it. Fruitless. He was still thinking about princess Felicia. Felicia… it meant ‘happy girl’ in some foreign language the melancholic prince couldn’t remember. Could he have been happy with her and she had been… available? Well, if she had, she wouldn’t even have traveled all the way to here to begin with. And even if he’d married her, he couldn’t have make her happy. What he wanted from marriage only was the opportunity to leave that sordid place and see the world. If only there was another way to achieve his wish… And Flash had realized early in his life boys attracted him more than girls. The best suitor would be a handsome prince who’d gladly help him to go outside, discover real people’s lives, maybe personally help him overcome his discapacity and maybe… more. Flash smiled and blushed. 

_ You stupid prince. Who would get willfully intimate with a legless guy? _

 

In the suburbs of Philae, in a shadowy alley, a street rat was breathlessly running. Police on his tail and a loaf of bread in his hand. The rat was blond, well-built and insufferably fast. He managed to hide behind a house. The guards ran towards a wrong direction.

_ Stupid guards. Cross-eyed in addition of being slow. _

Eddie, that was his name, could finally puff out and sat on the ground to eat what was likely to be his only meal for today. Yet, just as the moment he was about to take a bite if his loot, he caught a glimpse of a little boy. In stained tatters. He looked like he never ate in her life. And like he was regularly beaten. Eddie looked at the boy’s ankles. He wore shackles. A slave? It always tore Eddie’s heart in pieces to be reminded children slaves actually existed. Just right under his eyes, in the same city he lived in. If this could be called a ‘life’. Well his was more of a life that this little boy’s. He wished he could go and beat the shit out of everyone who dared to hit a child, but he knew it’d only bring more trouble to him and to the child. Where would that boy go if Eddie stood up and run to kick his master’s ass? Certainly not in Eddie’s care, he already was a homeless scruffy street rat, how could he take care of a child, of  **anybody** , if he also got his hands chopped off? He looked away from the child and sighed.

“Uh… e-excuse me, sir…” The child stammered.

Eddie stared back at him. That poor boy sounded like he expected a blow in the face from him.

“Would you… be so kind to give me… some of your bread?” The unsure child hesitated. “My master gave me money to do the groceries… but… then he’s taken it all… and left nothing for me. I’ve eaten nothing for… two days. Please… if it doesn’t bother you…” He pleaded without looking at Eddie even once. 

The rock-built thief sighed again and stood up. The boy flinched and almost screamed.

“Here.” Eddie handed out his bread to him.

“Wh-What?”

“Take it.” 

“Bu-But you don’t have to give it all. J-Just a piece of it is fine.” The scared boy stuttered.

“I can survive one more day without eating. I doubt  **_you_ ** can. Take it.” Eddie insisted.

“For… for real?” The boy finally stared at him.

“If you don’t want it, I can give it to someone else.”

“No!” The child screamed. “Oh… sorry. I’ll… I’ll take it. Thank you.” He received the bread. “Thank you, sir!” He bent down.

“Don’t mention it. Just be careful not to be robbed.” Eddie warned.

“I won’t! Thank you again!” The boy’s eyes glittered.

“What’s your name? Just in the case we meet again? I’m Eddie.”

“My name’s Dylan, sir!”

“Ok. Now, run off, Dylan. Not all thieves give to the poor.”

“You’re a thief?” Dylan looked aghast.

“Shove off!” Eddie growled.

The child ran away and stopped his questions.

Eddie sat back on his spot. What was the point to wish to help your neighbor if you couldn’t even take care of yourself? The strapping thief remembered when he used to be in that child’s shoes. He’d been bolder and cleared off. His former masters liked to beat him too, asked him to do more and more debasing and hazardous tasks like collecting the house feces (human and animal) to sell it to farmers or stabbing dead a rival (and be on his own to get away with it). And of course, he was never paid or just thanked. How much dung had he already carried? How many people had he already killed? And if there was **just** that! Sometimes, his master and his wife would used his body as a… toy. Yes. There was no other word. A fucking toy. Eddie knew if nature hadn’t gifted him with a solid disposition, he’d have died the most abject death. Luckily, he’d decided one day to break away. From since, he’d been living out of stealing. Even now, he still had to fight or kill in order to eat or even just to stay alive. No one else than himself could help. He didn’t know how much longer he could cope with all that shit on his own though. He knew it was impossible to happen to a lowlife like him but… he wished he had a friend.


End file.
